Police: Two-Year-Old Child Injured in Shooting

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Kansas City Missouri Police say that a young child was rushed to an area hospital following a shooting on the city’s East Side Friday morning.

Authorities say that the shooting happened around 10:35 a.m. on Friday in the area of 16th Street and Topping. Neighbors reported hearing about 10 gun shots. Shattered windows and bullet holes riddled the home. At first the shooting was reported as a drive-by, but Sgt. Marisa Barnes said the suspects could have been on foot.

The victim — identified as a two-year-old boy named Axle — was rushed by ambulance to Children’s Mercy Hospital after being hit by a bullet in the back while inside the home.

The victim’s 13-year-old brother, Armando Orozco, said he was upstairs when he heard the shots — and feared the worst.

“I came downstairs and I saw my uncle on the floor, and he carried the baby and he had blood on his hand and he checked the baby’s back,” Orozco said.

Little Axle underwent surgery on Friday and is now listed in stable condition.

There is no word on any suspects in the shooting, although police said it could be gang-related. Authorities are asking anyone with information in the shooting to call the Kansas City Missouri Police Department or the TIPS Hotline at (816) 474-TIPS or to test 274 637 and include the code TIP452 in the message. All calls and texts remain anonymous.